NASA Releases Over 1000 New Images of Mars' Exotic Surface

NASA has just experienced a huge data dump from the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, and the cornucopia of images reveals that the surface of the Red Planet is active and exotic (and not always red).

The Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) has been exploring Mars' orbit and snapping pictures of the Red Planet since 2005, and sends back a data dump each month. But this inundation of images comes from a rare opportunity for unfettered communication between Mars and Earth, since the two planets are in opposition. For a few weeks, Mars and Earth will be in direct opposition to each other in the sky without any obstructions between them, allowing for quicker and more efficient communication across the lightyears.

Many of the photos show off Mars' cratered and dune-covered surface, such as this image of large alcove dunes:

But some of the most amazing photos are of Mars' gullies, distinctive Martian topographical features that have an alcove at the top, a long channel in the surface, and then deposited material at the bottom. They look very much like terrestrial gullies that were created by flowing water, which excited scientists greatly, although evidence is mounting that they're actually the result of seasonal freezing of carbon dioxide.

Gullies in dunes dubbed Kohlar, after the planet in Frank Herbert's Dune:

Gullies in Buzzel Dunes:

Here are some more highlights among the new photos, showing off Mars' craters, red surface, steep slopes, and beautiful plains. You can see the entire collection on the HiRise website:

Atlantis Chaos:

Sediment on the south side of a rock:

Acidalia Region slope:

Flaugergues Crater:

Deposits in Noctis Labyrinthus:

Valley with flows in Noachis Terra:

Steep slopes:

Small ridges in Rabe Crater:

Fractures in Utopia Planitia:

Small tributary deposit and transverse Aeolian ridges in Nirgal Vallis: